Bataks can contribute to Indonesian democracy
JAKARTA (JP): The social system of the Bataks, the largest tribe in North Sumatra, places its members in a position to help develop democracy in Indonesia.
There is one major drawback however -- the Bataks aren't assertive enough and this has somewhat minimized their influence in the nation building process.
This was revealed during a seminar on tribalism and nationalism as applied to the Batak people. The one-day discussion, held as part of the on-going Portraits of Batak photographic exhibition, presented Harry Tjan Silalahi, a noted political analyst, and Eros Jarot, an artist cum journalist, as speakers.
Both agreed that the Batak's open society could be used as the foundation for the democratic system that is now being developed in Indonesia.
Unfortunately, they said, many Bataks who hold positions of influence, including those in the government, lose some of these democratic qualities.
This is because Bataks tend to be indecisive, they said.
"Batak people are democratic, but indecisive. They cannot take a quick and just action when the situation calls for it," said Silalahi, vice chairman of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Eros, an editor of the defunct DeTIK tabloid, noted that most high-ranking Batak officials tend to retreat at critical moments. "When they are needed to take a decisive action, most of them simply retreat."
Silalahi, a Javanese-Chinese descendant who has long been baptized as a Batak member, noted that the strong brotherhood among Batak people is another good quality of the tribe.
He warned the Batak people that this quality, if not managed well, could lead them to tribalism which could undermine the national unity.
He suggested that the Batak people work to improve their image and correct the misperception existing among other tribes that the Bataks as rough and intolerant people.
"I could understand that. Some of my friends even told me that Batak are very difficult to manage," Silalahi said.
He noted that Batak culture is "macho" and paternalistic, to the point where it considers women only to be "child-producing machines."
"There is even a prayer which says shall you be blessed with 17 sons and 16 daughters," Silalahi said. He proposed such a prayer should be changed since it is not relevant with the current situation.
B.N. Marbun, a Batak legislator, welcomed the criticisms of his people because they would serve to remind them that the Batak people were becoming unpopular among Indonesians.
Marbun said Batak is one of Indonesia's three tribes with that has innate entrepreneurial skills, along with the Minang from West Sumatra and Bugis from South Sulawesi.
Batak people are spreading through Indonesia, even around the world, according to Marbun. He says, of the three million Bataks, almost half live outside their homeland of North Sumatra.
Businessman Sopar Panjaitan shared Marbun's view, saying that Batak culture is very adaptive to economic modern changes, especially in the field of management technology.
Panjaitan, a director of PT Pipa Mas Putih, attributes the success of his company to his own Batak background. PT Pipa Mas Putih is one of only a few Indonesian companies which is certified by the International Standard Organization (ISO.)
He said the Batak culture of leadership, known as Dalihan Na Tolu (three stones of fireplace), is strongly associated with ISO, which requires leaders to play many different roles.
"I have applied the Batak culture of Dalihan Na Tolu in my company. I sometimes act as a leader, sometimes as a brother and sometimes as a friend, never as a boss. The ISO needs all these kinds of relationships. And it ends up making us very successful." (11)